Speaking of the protest movement, Senior White House Advisor, and head of President Obama’s re-election campaign, David Plouffe recently told Washington Post reporters, “We intend to make it one of the central elements of the campaign next year.”

Vice President Joe Biden, speaking of Occupy Wall Street, said, “The American people do not think the system is fair or on the level.”

President Obama himself has said of the movement, “I think it expresses the frustrations the American people feel, that we had the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression, huge collateral damage all throughout the country … and yet you’re still seeing some of the same folks who acted irresponsibly trying to fight efforts to crack down on the abusive practices that got us into this in the first place…”

President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, still recovering from a recent surgery, recently addressed the demonstrators via Venezuela State TV. In response to President Chavez’s message, crowds at the New York protests erupted with cheers of joy, raising a giant hammer and sickle in victory. President Chavez said, “This movement of popular outrage is expanding to 10 cities and the repression is horrible, I don’t know how many are in prison now.”

As the movement gains momentum, it is attracting celebrity activists. Kanye West , Michael Moore, Roseanne Barr, Tim Robbins, and Al Sharpton were among those who took time out to visit with protesters in Zucotti Park.

As the president continues his bus tour of North Carolina and Virgina, he is subject to criticism about his credibility on the issue of Wall Street. “The president is vacuuming money out of Wall Street,” said North Carolina GOP chairman Robin Hayes. Hayes made reference to the president’s campaign fund-raising machine which continues to receive millions of dollars from financial firms.

Virginia GOP chairman Pat Mullins added, “You’ve got to wonder why any leader of the free world would condone this kind of thing or even encourage it,” he said, noting that protesters continued to clash with New York policemen daily.

Senate Majority LeaderHarry Reid (D-Nev.) announced today that he and his Democratic colleagues in the Senate would put forth a new proposal to pay for President Obama’s American Jobs Act bill. Their latest proposal, which will be released in its entirety by week’s end, places a greater tax burden on people whose income is more than $1 million a year. The version of the proposal outlined by Leader Reid today would have these wealthy individuals forfeit all of their assets and income and join the Occupy Wall Street protesters for a period of at least six months.

“We think that this accomplishes two of our main goals,” said Leader Reid. “First, it provides a mechanism for these millionaires to finally pay their fair share and second, it gives them the opportunity to live on the street amongst those individuals in our society who are suffering as a direct result of their financial misdeeds. We see this as fiscally prudent. And, it provides an element of poetic justice.”

Top Senate aides said that, under the proposal, millionaires would be required to actually live on Wall Street, make signs, and participate in the daily demonstrations conducted by the Occupy Wall Street protestors for a minimum of six months.

Aides went on to say that this was just one of several proposals that Democrats were pursuing to pay for the president’s proposed bill. By looking for alternatives, the Democrats are clearly signalling that they do not have the support of their caucus to pass the bill as it is currently written.

President Obama has asked the congressional super committee to identify another $ half trillion in savings to pay for the jobs measure. This is beyond the $1.2 trillion in spending reductions the committee is chartered with finding in support of the deficit reduction plan.

To pay for the proposal, the White House has recommended limiting itemized deductions for individuals making more than $200,000 a year along with closing certain tax loop-holes and implementing the “Buffett Rule” for an increase in capital gains tax rates.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will introduce his “millionaire’s plan” as an alternative aimed at addressing concerns raised by his caucus with the president’s proposal.

“We believe our “millionaire’s plan” offers financial benefits along with a generous helping of American justice. We think this will be popular with the American people and we believe that these guys will fit right in down there at Occupy Wall Street.”

Dreadmonger will provide updates to the story as they become available.

Dreadmonger Washington Bureau – The White House announced today that, in an effort to address anemic jobs performance and the overall lagging health of the U.S. economy, President Obama will embark on a 10-day “Speech-a-Thon”.

Speaking from the Press Briefing Room at the White House today, Jay Carney, White House Press Secretary, announced that President Obama will launch a 10-day, unbroken string of speeches beginning October 8 and concluding October 17.

“The speeches,” said Press Secretary Carney, “will consist of a series of presentations promoting the President’s American Jobs Act, various campaign speeches, town hall events, on-line events, basketball and golf game speeches, and speeches to his family during his ‘down’ time.”

“The President feels that we are in an urgent situation,” Mr. Carney said, “and that it is time to show his commitment to leading the nation by giving an unbroken, 10-day long round of speeches. The President will speak for the entire time with the exception of meals, bathroom breaks, and sleep. He will even give speeches during family dinners at home in the White House and during his golf and basketball games.”

Mr. Carney went on to say, “The President strongly feels that it is time to get to work. The American people are fed up with the bickering in Washington and the lack of definitive results. There is no action that leads to concrete resolution. So, the President is taking the bull by the horns and delivering his message directly to the American people via these speeches. We at the White House believe that this defines his strong leadership during this critical time in the nation’s history.”

When reporters from Dreadmonger asked if the President would be doing any policy work during the 10-day period, Mr. Carney responded, “These talks will cover a lot of policy issues and will spell out, in great detail, a lot of the groundwork that the President has laid on a host of issues that are vital to the American people.”

When Dreadmonger reporters pressed Mr. Carney about any actual executive activity, other than the speeches, that might occur during this period, Mr. Carney replied, “Look, the President’s staff, Vice President Biden, Valerie Jarrett, our colleagues in Congress like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, these people are all hard at work every day with their hands firmly on the switches of government. The President feels that his role at this important time is best served as Communicator-in-Chief.”

On the campaign trail today in Decatur, President Barack Obama continued to dial-up the heat on both critics within his own party and on his Republican rivals. Speaking at an SEIU / Teamster’s rally this afternoon along side James Hoffa. President Obama was unusually animated. He began by attacking naysayers on the left.

“Some say my words the other night addressing the Congressional Black Caucus were ‘curious’,” the President said, referring to Congresswoman Maxine Waters‘ characterization of his speech last Saturday evening. “Well, I’ll say it again, the folks of the CBC, and I don’t limit this to the CBC by any means, but these folks are nothing but a bunch of slipper-wearing sissies.” The President continued to drop his g’s in his address today as he had in his address previously to the CBC. Notably, the President’s “Town Hall” meeting yesterday with Silicon Valley‘s Linked-In organization exhibited none of the g-dropping.

“I just don’t care what those folks have to say about my choice of words,” the President continued. “If I’m too tough well, too bad. This tough love is for their own good and for the good of the Democratic Party. If they think I’m tough, just wait until they get a good look at Rick Perry. His state’s burning to the ground and he doesn’t believe in global warming. He’s executing folks right and left. Folks down there in Texas think he’s lost his mind.”

President Obama then went on to savage the Republican Party, saying, “The GOP has plans to eviscerate you, then tear out your still-beating heart and stomp it into the ground along with your guts. Does this sound ‘curious’ to you? I don’t think folks understand what’s at stake here. Did you see those debates last week? And did you hear that audience cheering for executions and rooting for that poor guy with no insurance to go ahead and die? These guys are scary. I wouldn’t trust any of them. Can you imagine running up on these guys in a dark alley at night?”

“One of them wants to do away with Social Security. Another one wants to do away with the EPA, the Department of Education, and Medicare. Another one wants to eliminate taxes for their wealthy friends. Another one doesn’t care if Iran has a nuclear bomb or not. No other word for it, these guys are either dangerous or just plain nuts.”

The President did not take questions after the address but, Dreadmonger reporters were able to catch up backstage with David Axelrod, senior campaign advisor for the Obama 2012 presidential bid.

Dreadmonger reporters questioned Mr. Axelrod about the tone of the President’s address. Mr. Axelrod replied, “Well, we are doing our utmost to keep the discourse civil but sometimes the President just gets ‘fired up, ready to go!’. We are just starting to get revved up here. I can imagine that, 12 or 13 months from now when we’re in the final stretch, we may see things really start to heat up.”

OMAHA (Dreadmonger) – Berkshire Hathaway issued a press release tonight announcing that Warren Buffett was personally gifting his secretary to the tune of $1 billion in order to reduce her tax rate to the same level that the billionaire investor enjoys.

Missy Sprindle, Mr. Buffet’s administrative assistant at Berkshire Hathaway for the past 18 years, met with reporters from Dreadmonger’s Omaha Bureau in an exclusive interview this evening.

“I’m just so excited! Mr. B. is just too kind. With all this talk about how much I pay in taxes, I just didn’t think he would go and do this. He’s such an old sweetie.”

Mr. Buffett has expressed concern in recent months about the disparity between his tax rate and that of his secretary. According to Mr. Buffett, he is taxed at about 17% on his $46 million in income “without trying to avoid paying higher taxes” while his secretary is taxed at a rate of 32%.

The gift to Ms. Sprindle was in the form of dividend producing Berkshire Hathaway bonds. The income from the $1 billion in gift bonds will be treated as capital gains and, when combined with Ms. Sprindle’s $60,000 annual salary, will lower her effective tax rate to a projected 17.3%, rivaling that of Mr. Buffett.

Dreadmonger reporters asked Ms. Sprindle if she was aware of the “Buffet Rule” that President Obama was recommending to rectify the tax disparity between wealthy and middle class tax payers.

On the basketball court in the basement gym at the White House today, President Obama spoke with reporters, insisting that he really is an adult.

“I assure you all that I am an adult and I have been for many years now,” the President said. “I think there must be some connection to this birther thing. For crying out loud, I just released my birth certificate. I know you’ve all seen it. That proves it, right?”

The comment was believed to be in response to Ron Suskind‘s upcoming book, “Confidence Men: Wall Street, Washington, and the Education of a President”. In Suskind’s book, former Director of the White House United States National Economic CouncilLawrence Summers is quoted as telling Peter Orzag, OMB Director at the time, “We’re Home Alone. There’s no adult in charge. Clinton would never have made these mistakes.”

When Dreadmonger reporters asked President Obama about Mr. Summers’ reported comments in Mr. Suskind’s book, he replied, “I think I’ll let Larry deal with his own issues. If you have seen the movie The Social Network, well, you’ll know what I’m talking about.”

Alex Castellanos, Republican strategist speaking today on Meet the Press, expressed similar sentiments by saying that the President was “…running around Washington saying, ‘Mommy, mommy, please make these Republicans play fair’.”

All this on the heels of James Carville‘s comments this week and his one word of advice to the White House: “Panic”.

When Dreadmonger reporters pressed the President on this recent round of inside the beltway chatter, which sounds more like schoolyard trash talk, the President responded, “Look guys, I’d love to stay and talk more but, I really need to get in a few holes of golf and hit Five Guys before the ball games start. Priorities, you know?”

Dreadmonger will provide update to the story as they become available.

Waters and the rest of the Congressional Black Caucus have organized the March On Martha’s, designed to get the attention of President Obama as he vacations with his family on Martha’s Vineyard.

At a job fair in Atlanta today, Congresswoman Waters said that the African-American community was increasingly concerned with President Obama’s performance.

“There is a growing frustration in this country and in minority communities because the unemployment rates are so high,” Waters said. She went on say that the increasing wealth gap between blacks and whites is “creating frustration and yes, some anger” within the black community.

“The Congressional Black Caucus loves the president, too. We’re supportive of the president, but we’re getting tired. We’re getting tired. The unemployment is unconscionable. We don’t know what the strategy is. We don’t know why on this trip that he’s in the United States now, he’s not in any black community,” Congresswoman Waters said.

The March on Martha’s will begin in Falmouth Harbor where marchers will meet at the pier. After crossing the Nantucket channel on local ferries, marchers will convene for a rally in front of the Beetlebug Coffee House in Vineyard Haven. The coffeehouse, a local mainstay, is known to be frequented by the Obamas during their many visits to Martha’s Vineyard in recent years. The Beetlebug, which also operates a tony, laid back line of clothing, has designed shirts to commemorate the march which will be provided free of charge to all marchers.

Cornell Archers, proprietor of The Beetlebug, told Dreadmonger, “We are proud to provide t-shirts to the marchers and we also plan to have trays of our homemade blueberry scones along with fresh free market coffee available for them. We see this as an opportunity to ‘Meet and Greet’ with marchers and locals alike enjoying a relaxing, fun, and funky day in the sun.”

The President, his Zegna jacket removed, shirt collar loosened, and sleeves rolled up, spoke today from the stage of the livestock auction pavilion at the Illinois State Fair.

“I think it’s a fair trade,” said President Obama. “You give me your vote and I’ll give Illinois the state of Kentucky.”

Noting that Kentucky borders Illinois to the south, the President went on to say that he will make sure that the new, larger state is called, “Illinois, or New Illinois, or Greater Illinois, or whatever you folks decide to call it.”

“Furthermore,” continued the President, “I believe this historic combination will create the first L-shaped state in our nation’s history.”

Speaking with David Axelrod, senior campaign strategist for the Obama campaign, reporters from Dreadmonger inquired as to how the people of Kentucky might feel about the proposed change.

“We firmly believe,” said Axelrod, “that there is a lot of synergy with the merger of Illinois and Kentucky. Illinois has a lot going for it and we think the good people of Kentucky will really benefit from joining that more robust and vibrant economy. And I’m sure there is plenty of room in the new organization for all. It’s a big tent, you know.”

When reporters from Dreadmonger noted that Illinois is a key swing state in the upcoming election and that Kentucky has voted for the opposing party in the last three presidential races, Axelrod commented, “Look, we really think that this is about something much bigger than the outcome of a single election. We see this as a win win for all concerned and a really big step forward for Kentucky. This will kick-start their flagging economy and align them to a real winner. If we thought this was a one-sided deal, well, we just wouldn’t feel so good about it. And it will create, you know, the first L-shaped state.”

Rumors have been circulating within the Obama camp that similar deals are in the offing for Ohio / West Virginia and Florida / Alabama.

The office of Steve Beshear, governor of Kentucky and a Democrat, repeatedly refused Dreadmonger’s request for comment.

A spokesman from the office of Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, also a Democrat, speaking on conditions of anonymity, said, “We were really kind of hoping for Indiana.”

President Obama opened the Twitter floodgates today in an effort to rally support for his bid to pressure Congress to get it together and solve the debt ceiling crisis adventure. The President’s staff tweeted out the Twitter names of all US Republican Congressional representatives – all of them – one by one – to everyone who follows the President. This regardless of the Representative‘s state of residence. So, the lucky recipients got LOTS of addresses that had no relationship whatsoever to their state’s representative. Cool!

Tech savvy Americans responded heartily to the President’s reach-out by bailing on him. 37,000 so far (still counting…) have pulled the plug on the President’s Twitter account.

Meanwhile, back in the House, Nancy Pelosi quoted Dreadmonger’s post from this past Friday, July 22. 2011, declaring an “end to life as we know it on Planet earth.” She once again made crazy eyes to all the cell phone cameras in the House chamber as an added treat for her Congressional colleagues.

Debt ceiling talks between President Obama and Speaker of the House John Boehner broke down today signaling the end of life on planet earth as we now know it. President Obama identified Boehner as the ” anti-Christ” and the Republican party as a whole as “less than human troglodytes”. For his part, Speaker Boehner responded by labeling President Obama “the Lord Voldemort of our time, economically speaking”. Boehner went on to praise the new Harry Potter movie and began to tear up as he reminded reporters once again that he has “every first edition of every Harry Potter book” in his home library.

Asked to comment on the debt ceiling crisis, House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi cursed, spat, and sputtered in indignation while making crazy eyes at cell phone cameras around the room.

Meanwhile in the Senate, Minority leader Mitch McConnell continued his game of pinocle with Senate majority leader Harry Reid. Reid mumbled something that reporters could not understand and raised his silver-handled cane in defiance as journalists pressed him for a response.

Unconfirmed rumors circulated within the beltway today that former President Jimmy Carter was being called in to negotiate a truce between the two hostile camps. Reached for comment at his Georgia farm, former President Carter smiled broadly and said that the peanut crop this year was below par but he was confident that next year’s crop would be “a good ‘un”.